Playground Poker Announces Online Power Weekend

Playground Poker has been closed since 11:59pm on March 13. The coronavirus pandemic had made its way into Canada, and health and government officials ordered all non-essential businesses to close.

Two and a half months later, there may be light at the end of the tunnel. As Quebec begins its very slow process of reopening, Playground Poker continues to offer cash games and tournaments online. It has been the only potential for revenue during this tough economic time.

Since players cannot wait for the doors to be unlocked, Playground teamed up with PartyPoker once again to offer a tournament series. There will be more than $34K in prize pool guarantees over the course of a five-day weekend.

Familiar Series for Playground Players

Regular players at the Playground poker tables have long been familiar with the Power Weekend. It was a chance to extend a weekend with a variety of live poker tournaments, formats, and buy-ins. It would run from a Thursday through a Monday, giving players many chances to get in on the tournament guarantees.

That led to another idea – to offer the first-ever Playground Online Power Weekend.

It will take place next weekend, from Thursday, May 14 through Monday, May 18. There will be a total of seven tournaments.

Buy-ins will range from $33 to $109, and the guarantees will start at $500 and soar to $15K. Keep in mind, these events will be limited to Playground Poker regulars signed in to a special section of PartyPoker.

When Might Playground Reopen?

Playground Poker is not saying anything about a potential reopening. This is a wise move, as there is no way to know when it could happen.

Located in Kahnawake, Playground Poker is likely under its direction. And Kahnawake is not ready.

Essential businesses in Kahnawake remain open, but others – like a card room – is not. And its strict precautions to protect its people from COVID-19 remain in place. On Friday, May 8, the Peacekeepers posted a message that said, in part: “Non-locals are not permitted in Kahnawake. Stores are not open to non-locals in Kahnawake.”

Playground Poker is going to need to convince quite a few officials that it will be able to keep people safe in its establishment. It is unclear if its management has spoken to Kahnawake officials yet.

Quebec is planning some reopenings in the very near future. However, consider Quebec was the hardest-hit province in Canada – while Kahnawake remained free of COVID hospitalizations and deaths – Quebec’s reopening will likely not influence Kahnawake’s decision-making process.

Look for More Online Opportunities

If the first Playground Online Power Weekend is a success, they may offer more online poker tournaments going forward.

PartyPoker is just finishing the Grand Prix Online Canada, a multi-phase tournament with a $55 buy-in and $100K guarantee. And the Power Weekend begins in just a few days.

The more players who participate in the Playground Poker-specific events on PartyPoker, the more likely the partnership will produce more tournament options. Players directly influence what comes next.

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Jennifer Newell

Jennifer Newell has been writing about poker and gambling since 2004. As the online gaming sectors have changed and grown, particularly in the United States and Canada, she has followed it all and written about it for websites like World Poker Tour and PokerScout. In her free time, she runs a small business, reads, cooks, and enjoys music.